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Sunday, April 26, 2015

16 Months And Loving Her!

Catching her "flyer" - April 2015

The journey of raising Cinder began in February 2014, when
we took advantage of a break between some of the biggest snows and worst cold
in 40 years to go pick Cinder up before things worsened again. As we drove to my friend’s to pick her up,
Brian and I were relatively quiet, both wondering what our little puppy was
going to be like; and how different our lives were going to become. Now, Cinder’s 16 months old and our lives are
drastically different than we’d anticipated.

Shortly after bringing our little bundle of puppy love home,
I was waylaid by another journey into an ugly abyss of pain and immobility
caused by back and hip problems which finally resulted in a major back surgery
and a steroid injection for my hip to stave off a hip replacement as long as
possible so my back can heal. But, the
real story isn’t mine – it’s Cinder’s.

8 weeks - "sit"

8 weeks - sitting to go outside

Cinder came to us at seven weeks old, in the middle of the
worst winter of 40 years. Combined with my caring for a lame horse and followed
by my increasing back pain and immobility, Cinder still managed to thrive. She's never known a time after her first two weeks with us that I haven't been disabled by my back issues. She was a
very typical Border Collie puppy-ALWAYS on the go and ALWAYS busy. Luckily, our
older dogs were good play pals and teachers during those long, cold, boring

Queen of the Hill on Uncle Gilley

months when we could do nothing outside.
I was able to do some early training with Cinder, so we worked on what
we could, hoping and waiting for Spring so we could really ramp up her training. When Spring arrived and we could get out
again, it became my great frustration and sadness to find out that Cinder is a
reactive dog. Cinder is our last puppy
and I’d wanted to be able to take her anywhere and everywhere with me as I’ve
always been able to do with all my other dogs. Her reactivity creates
challenges in taking her anywhere and doing anything. We truly have to
calculate our activities almost like math problems, being sure we’ve considered
how Cinder’s participation could be successful and the things that might derail
us. Reactivity in Border Collies and other herding breeds is common, but I’d
never had a dog that was reactive so it was, and still is, a whole new journey
for both of us.

She's met and risen
above the challenges of my limitations and her reactivity to succeed in an
obedience class and a tricks class. She was even made up for Halloween as, "the Red Queen," and again at Christmas as the "Peppermint Princess," wearing silly things without a fuss.

The Red Queen at Halloween - 2014

The Peppermint Princess - Christmas 2014

Cinder - Christmas 2014

Throughout the whole of Cinder’s life, she’s never known a
time when I wasn't in pain and suffering limited mobility. Despite all things,
she’s thrived! We've become as close as possible
actually - so close, it may be problematic at some point. She seemed to
know I needed help and easily learned to assist me with small things like
picking up dropped items, opening and closing doors and drawers; and lying
beside me

Cinder & Gilley snuggled next to me in bed

quietly snuggling as I rest. After
I returned home from back surgery, she had to learn to give me hugs by gently standing on her back legs and putting her front paws on shoulders while I was sitting; and hop gently onto my lap unassisted because I couldn’t bend, lift, or twist. She often snuggled with me in the recliner, sprawled
atop me, covering me from neck to knees with her body, quietly sleeping and
keeping watch over me – which she continues to do! And believe me, nothing gets by her unnoticed! She’s learned to hop on me in the recliner
with an amazing ease, agility, and lightness of a cat.

Cinder & me in the recliner after back surgery

As my recovery has progressed, I still can’t bend, lift, or
twist so walking is my sole exercise until my doctor deems my back healed
enough to begin physical therapy for it. I've had physical therapy to help with
learning to use my leg again, but now, it’s all about walking until I start PT
for my back. Sadly, I’m not allowed to
be around my horse at all; and I’m not allowed to be the one to control the
leash while walking the dogs – the risks of them pulling, jerking, and
otherwise causing me to move quickly and inappropriately could easily damage
all the work to restore my mobility. I’m
finally back to work at my desk job part-time until the doctors release me for
more over the next couple months. As it
turns out, I’m finding that part-time really does tax me enough right now when
combined with trying to walk as much as possible each day and the small house chores I can do. I FEEL like I could
walk 10 miles, but reality sucks – I’m lucky to walk a couple of city blocks so
far (or a couple laps around the ponds where we take the dogs swimming). I've been able to enjoy our Spring weather and
go with Brian to take the dogs to the barn and/or the private dog park to
play. I've been able to walk around the
pond and create games for the dogs to keep them running between Brian and I for
added exercise and fun for them. Cinder
spends a lot of that time running laps around the pond to keep tabs on everyone
and to show her aging uncles that SHE is faster than them. I actually LOVE seeing her running full out
around the pond-it’s pure power and speed combined with such a beauty that
truly is specific to only a few breeds, Border Collies especially. It’s a sight
to see!

Each evening, Brian goes to work and we’re home alone which
means we have a lot of quiet time since I can’t do too much yet. I spend the
first few hours icing my back (doctor’s orders) from being up and active.
Amazingly, all three dogs are awesome about settling down.

They gather around
me while I’m at the computer and lay quietly; we rally in the living room while
I recline to ice my back while watching TV; or we snuggle in bed together. Sometimes the three are so awesome and so
quiet I forget they’re actually Border Collies – you know, HIGH ENERGY dogs
with extremely demanding needs for exercise.
They seem amazingly resilient and totally content. Most Border Collie people would probably find
it absolutely amazing that they are so content to be my quiet companions. I
find it hard to believe most about Cinder since she’s so young. Yet, Border Collies are said to be the most
intelligent breed and if one is inclined to believe that, then one may also be
inclined to believe that they know I still have limits and they are trying to
patiently adapt while secretly hoping the next trip to the barn or park will be
soon.

Today was the first time I've taken a road trip in two
years. It wasn’t far, but it maxed out my doctor-recommended time and distance
in a car at one time. We went to the
barn and got “the Ebbie horse” in before going back to the house. While Brian mowed the yard, I holed up with
Cinder in the office and put her though her paces doing all the tricks she’s
learned in the last year. She didn’t
miss a beat after more than three months off from all work. In fact, we also started working on a couple
new tricks too. While we’re a long way
from where I’d wanted us to be, we can still have fun and build more skills.

Raising Cinder hasn’t been the journey I’d hoped for with my
last puppy, but, it’s been better than I’d anticipated given the
circumstances. Hopefully life will
continue to improve for us and as it does, we’ll be doing more. Even if Cinder never goes on to learn more
obedience, agility or anything else, she’s already become one of the most
wonderful, loyal and loving dogs ever. There is a certain amount of pride and contentment with knowing that
Cinder’s become a great companion if she never does anything else. It’s not what I’d hoped for her, but things
could’ve gone far worse than they have and we could’ve had a dog we don’t
like. Instead, she’s become a true
family member in every way; completely endeared herself with us both. She’s been awesome and she’s not done
yet! Besides, she keeps Buzz and Gilley
moving more too. Despite the fact that
she often dominates them, they enjoy playing with her daily. She's smart, a bit quirky and odd; somewhat pushy and willful at times; and she's always one of the most affectionate dogs I've ever had. She's 16 months old and I'm loving her more every day.

"Love you dad" - April 2015

Brian & Cinder - April 2015

Cinder & Me - April 2015

Cinder’s made a difference in all our lives and we can’t
imagine life without her. The journey
continues daily and there’s never a dull moment as we continue our endeavor of
raising Cinder.